Unloader for barges and the like



1969 J. LE ROY FENCHEL 3,429,461

UNLOADER FOR BARGES AND THE LIKE Sheet File'd July 19, 1966 coco o m fi X s a 2; NN 92.

Jack L. Fenchel Sheet Filed July 19, 1966 Jack L. Fenchel 3 m 3 fim m w @E W M E mm E E F8 \\2 E 3 3 E E E 3\.$/a s m Feb. 25, 1969 J. LE ROY FENCHEL UNLOADER FOR BARGES AND THE LIKE Sheet Filed July 19, 1966 ATTORNEYS FlGJi.

J. LE ROY FENCHEL Filed July 19. 1966 Sheet as Q l I l li/fl 56 2 H FIG. 14;

INVENTOR Jack L. Fenchel ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1969 LE ROY FENCHEL 3,42%,452

UNLOADER FOR BARGES AND THE LIKE Filed July 19, 1966 Sheet 5 of G Flejs. FIGJY. l i f ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1969 J. LE ROY FENCHEL UNLOADER FOR BARGES AND THE LIKE Sheet Filed July 19, 1966 44265 Ow O:

mwwmm mEDm 02 INVENTOR Jack L..Ferachel BYM Q ESES gm 57 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,429,461 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 3,429,461 UNLOADER FOR BARGES AND THE LIKE Jack Le Roy Fencliel, RD. 1, Beaver Falls, Pa. 15010 Filed July 19, 1966, Ser. No. 566,325 U.S. Cl. 214-12 Claims Int. Cl. B63b 27/00; B65g 67/46 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for unloading barges by floating the barges upon an initially immersed traveling platform to which the barge is suitably secured, whereupon the platform, which is mobile, is moved up an inclined railway out of the water and to a discharge locus where mechanism is provided for establishing a pivotal axis about which the platform with entrained barge may be angularly moved to a tilting position suitable for unloading the barge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a barge unloader in which provision is made for mounting the barge crosswise on the platform so that the barge may be subject to sidewise unloading which can be accomplished very quickly and over a substantial linear expanse where a suitable row of hoppers may be provided to accept the load and preferably a railway extends beneath the hoppers so that suitable railway cars may be moved beneath the hoppers to receive the load without substantial time delay.

The invention also has for an object to provide an extremely rugged foundation, railway and travelling platform capable of sustaining the very great loads embodied in modern barges.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and mechanism having the ability to handle large volumes of material in an extremely short period of time, the unloader of the invention having a very high load capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the automatic dumping of the load, if desired.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an unloader apparatus with a barge mounted upon the travelling platform in a low position on the inclined railway.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the same with parts of the foundation broken away to show actuating mechanism and with the barge shown as having been floated onto the travelling platform in the immersed position of the latter.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the traveling platform and barge at the discharge locus.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the actual discharge position of the platform and barge.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view on a more magnified scale of a form of travelling platform that may be used.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of such platform showing the same mounted on numerous rails for wide support of the involved load.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the travelling platform showing the numerous wheeled trucks and cable anchors.

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational view of the travelling platform showing the laterally wide platform for receiving the barge with its stern-to-bow dimension arranged crosswise and fitted against a front bulkhead on the platform.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the travelling platform with parts broken away, taken on a more magnified scale to show further detail.

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the platform on the line 1010 in FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a similar view taken on the line 1111 also in FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a form of wheel on the line 1212 in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the foundation, platform and barge at the discharge locus showing platform and barge in dotted lines in the dump position and showing a hydraulic mechanism for effecting the unloading.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a front portion of the platform with parts broken away and parts shown in section to illustrate one of the front forks engaging the foundation shaft for establishing a pivotal axis about which the platform may be tilted or angularly moved to a dump position, and also showing means for moving locking pins into and out of locking position.

FIGURE 15 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a form of hydraulic ram comprising cylinder and plunger rod for cooperating with a rear portion of the travelling platform as shown in FIGURE 13 for performing the dumping operation.

FIGURE 16 is a side elevational view of the unloading ram with parts broken away and parts shown in section with the hydraulic plunger rod in position to advance into engagement with the rear shaft of the platform.

FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 16 with parts in a subsequent position in which the hydraulic plunger rod has moved into engagement with the platform shaft and the locking pin has been shifted to the locked position.

FIGURE 18 is a side elevational view showing a subsequent position of the parts in which an actuator bar has been released for entrainment with the plunger rod up to unload position.

FIGURE 19 is a similar view showing the down movement of the parts approaching lowermost position.

FIGURE 20 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2020 of FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 21 is a schematic of the electrical and hydraulic circuitry employed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, 20 represents a strongly reinforced dense concrete foundation having its upper surface inclined so that its lower end enters beneath the surface of a body of water 21 representing a river, harbor, bay or other waterway where ships may enter and discharge loaded barges 22 which will be floated to dockside and over a travelling platform or flat car 23 having wheels 24 for easy mobility on a track represented generally at 2 5 which may also be inclined from the waterway upwardly for a suitable distance to clear the track for emergence above the water and to a suitable discharge locus, indicated generally at 26, where apparatus is provided for dumping the cargo from the barge 22, for instance, into a series of hoppers 27 arranged in a line above a railroad track 28 whereby the load may ultimately be deposited into freight cars 29 for movement to chosen destinations.

The platform 23 is preferably of very substantial transverse width to accommodate the barge with its stern-tobow dimension cross-wise of the platform, as indicated in FIGURE 1, which at the discharge locus 26 permits sidewise dumping of the barge 22 which greatly facilitates complete discharge of the load in a minimum of time, as indicated in FIGURE 4.

The barge may be propelled or drawn up the inclined track by any suitable means; for instance, cables 30 attached to the forward portion of the platform 23 and wound about winch drums 31 mounted in the foundation structure adjacent the row of receiving hoppers 27. These winches are of conventional construction driven by suitable mechanism installed in a control room 32 of the foundation at the discharge locus. As customary these winches are supplied with brakes to ease the descent of the platform 23 by gravity down the inclined runway.

As shown in the comparative views, FIGURES 3 and 4, the forward end of the platform is adapted in the uppermost position to rotate about a transverse axis 33 to a dumping position, being moved thereto by suitable mechanical or other means; for instance, by a hydraulic ram comprising a cylinder 64 and a plunger rod 63. At its lower end the cylinder is mounted for pivotal move ment at 65 in the foundation.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES to 11 inclusive, the platform 23 is shown as having a forward bulkhead 37 against which a side of the barge may be abutted and which serves to orient the barge to a correct position. Extending forwardly from the platform at a low point, as shown in FIGURES 5, 9, l0 and 11, are forks 38 having forward open throats adapted to receive thereinto a pivot shaft 39 (FIGURES l3 and 14) installed fixedly at the discharge locus.

The platform 23 will preferably be of a low, strong, extremely rugged construction calculated to support the very great weights of the barges and the barge loads and for this purpose also numerous lines of rails 25 are provided to support the platform. In FIGURE 6' nine such lines of rails are shown, being grouped closely together at strategic points.

As best seen in FIGURE 7, the wheels 24 are equally numerous and are mounted in trucks of strong and rugged construction. This FIGURE 7 also shows the cable anchors 41 on the travelling platform.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 9, and 11, it will be seen that the platform is constructed extremely compactly having a minimum vertical dimension and preferably constructed of rugged I-beams 42 as a top course directly beneath the flooring and similar lower inclined courses of I-beams 43; all such I-beams having short webs and substantially wide flanges for great strength. Intermediate I-beams or other structural members 44 are set endwise between the courses 42 and 43, such beams 44 being of increasing height from front to rear of the platform owing to the necessity for a horizontal flooring to receive the barge while the wheel trucks are slantwise in conformity with the inclination angle of the track.

As shown more particularly in FIGURE 12, the wheels 24 are of a laterally thick heavy metallic construction having flanges 40 for extending down on opposite sides of the rail heads 25. The bodies of the wheels 24 are of a thick construction transversely extending completely bet-ween the external surfaces of the two flanges 40, the truck bars 45 and 46 in which the axles 47 are journalled are all extraordinarily heavy and of high strength materials. The diameter of the wheels 24 is preferably small also for added strength.

In FIGURE 13 the barge 22 is shown as abutted against the bulkhead 37 and as lashed in place on the platform 23 by any suitable means; for instance, the cables 48 and 49.

FIGURE 13 shows the shaft 39 as carried, preferably fixedly, in rigid bearing blocks 50; these bearing blocks being spaced apart at suitable intervals relatively to the forks 38 of the carriage so that these forks 38 may enter between the bearings 50 and cause the forks 38 to receive the shaft 39 into the crotches of the forks, as shown in FIGURE 14.

Locking pins 51 are fitted to slide up and down in alined openings 52 and 53 in the forks 38 to interlock the various forks and the shaft 39 during the dumping operation. The shaft is preferably externally rounded to conform to the formation of the crotches of the forks 38 so that the forks may rotate easily about the shaft 39, thus establishing a pivotal axis 33 about which the.

entire platform 23 carrying the barge 22 may be rotated or angularly turned to the dumping position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 13.

The various locking pins 51 could be dropped into place manually but it is preferred that some automatic mechanism be provided for accomplishing this end. For instance, levers 54 carried by the platform 23 and fulcrumed at intermediate points 55 upon the bulkhead 37 are connected by pivots 56 to upper ends of the pins 51, the opposite ends of such levers being connected to hydraulic rams or other appropriate devices having cylinders 57 and plunger rods 58 to which the rear ends of the levers 54 are secured by pivots 59. If desired stop collars 60 are aflixed to upper portions of the locking pins 51 to seat on the upper surfaces of the forks 38, thus limiting downward movement of such pins.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 13, at a low rear portion the travelling platform 23 has affixed thereto a shaft 61 adapted to be engaged by forks 62 on the upper ends of plunger rods 63, forming with cylinders 64, bydraulic rams: of which any suitable number may be mounted crosswise of the foundation structure to engage the shaft 61 at a number of points whereby the platform 23 and barge 22 may be rotated upwardly and forwardly, as shown in the dotted line position of FIGURE 13, to discharge the cargo. A single ram will be described.

The cylinder 64 is pivoted at 65 to the foundation structure so as to have a limited angular movement enabling the plunger rod 63 to follow the arcuate path of the shaft 61 in moving from the full line to the dotted line positions of FIGURE 13 and return.

As shown in FIGURE 15 the plunger rod is preferably tapered at its lower end portion 66, to which latter is fitted a suitable plunger or piston; in this instance comprising two annular parts 67 and 68 mutually abutted together and having frusto-conical openings therethrough for accurately fitting the conic section 66 of the plunger rod. The lower end of the plunger rod may be screw-threaded, as indicated at 69, to receive an annular ring nut 70 for initially tightening and eventually holding the parts 67 and 68 in a tight pressure fit on the conic section 66. The sections 66 and 67 of the plunger may be flanged at respectively opposite ends thereof, as indicated at 71 and 72, to retain a suitable packing or packing rings 73 therebetween which have leak-proof fit in the internal Wall of the cylinder 64.

The plunger rod 63 may be of a tubular variety, as indicated in FIGURE 15. The cylinder 64 is preferably closed at its upper end by a cap piece 74 having a packing gland 75 of any conventional form. The lower end portion of the cap piece 74 is preferably flanged, as indicated at 76, to mate with a similar flange 77 fast on t external wall of the cylinder 64.

As indicated in FIGURE 16 a circular series of bolts or other fastenings 78 may secure the flanges together and the cap piece 74 upon the upper end of the cylinder. As also shown in FIGURE 16, other bolts, screws or other fastenings 79 may serve to hold the gland 75 in place.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 16 to 19 inclusive, the fork 2 has an inner crotch 80 and an open mouth 80 with alined openings 81 and 82 crosswise of the mouth near the outer end of the fork 62 for the passage of a locking pin 83 back and forth between the positions of FIGURES l6 and 17 which are respectively the open and closed positions of the pin 83. A stop collar 84 may be afiixed to the pin 83 to abut the fork 62 in the locking position of FIGURES 17, 18 and 19.

The upper end of the locking pin 83 is pivotally connected by pivot 85 to upper arm 86 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed at 87 on an upwardly extending bracket 88, which bracket is affixed to the fork 62 and moves therewith. The companion arm 89 of the bell crank lever is in turn pivoted by pivot 90 to the outer end of an actuator bar 91, which bar has a longitudinal sliding movement between the positions of FIGURES 16 and 17, being guided thereby by a guide 92 aflixed to the plunger rod 63 at a suitable position thereon.

As shown in FIGURES 16 and 20 the guide is of a slot form having side portions 94 thereof embracin opposite sides of the bar 91 and a base or bottom wall 93 on which the lower edge of the bar 91 is adapted to slide.

A slot 99 in the lower edge of the bar 91 is adapted in one longitudinal position of the bar 91 relatively to the plunger rod 63 to become latched to the base part of the guide 92, being urged thereto by a coil or other spring 134 located in the upper part of the guide 92 and exerting pressure upon a wear block 135 bearing upon the upper edge of the bar 91.

The bar 91 is provided with a downwardly extending shoulder 95 arranged in the path of a stop lug 96 hinged to the cylinder head 74 so as to swing only outwardly in the direction of outer movement of the plunger rod 63 as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 18. The stop lug 96 is held normally in the projected position shown in FIGURES 16, 17 and 19 by a spring 136 having a load suflicient to arrest outward movement of the actuator rod 91 until the bell-crank lever and locking pin 83 are thrown to the locked position shown in full lines in FIGURE 17 and until the guide 92 has moved with the plunger rod 63 from the dotted to the full line position of FIGURE 17, in which position the guide 92 has reached registry with the actuator bar slot 99, the bar 91 thereupon becoming latched by action of spring 134 to the plunger rod 63 and moveable thereafter with the plunger rod 63 to and from the dumping position, all such while latching the locking pin 83 in the locked position across the mouth of the fork 62.

As shown in FIGURE 18 the stop lug spring 136 will yield, incident to this entrainment of the actuator bar 91 with the plunger rod 63 to allow free passage of the shoulder 95, and when the shoulder 95 has cleared the stop lug 96 the spring 136 will restore the stop lug to normal initial position as shown in FIGURE 19.

On the return from the dumping operation the inclined surface 98 of the bar 91 will encounter the stop lug 96 and swing the bar 91 about pivot 90 to compress SPI'lIlg 134 and free latch notch 99 from guide 92, thus permitting guide 92 to move from full to dotted line positions of FIGURE 17 incident to an arrest in lowering movement of the bar 91 while the plunger rod 63 further descends. The arrest of the bar 91 is accomplished by the encounter of the free end of the bar with a stop abutment 97 on the forward end of a piston rod 137 afiixed to a piston 138 in a cylinder or dash-pot 139 which piston is urged yieldingly outward by a coil spring 140.

The arrangement cushions the action and eventual stoppage of bar 91 in its function of throwing the bell-crank lever and pin 83 to the dotted unlocked position shown in FIGURE 17 and the lengths of the piston rod 137 and cylinder 139 are calculated to permit of the further inward movement of both plunger rod 63 and actuator bar 91 necessary to free the fork 62 entirely from the shaft 61 so as to permit the travelling platform to subsequently descend the inclined track.

The cylinder 139 is afiixed to a shelf 141 attached to the cylinder 64.

The actuating bar 91 may also carry a switch actuating member 127 in the path of a wand 128 of a limit switch 129, as shown in FIGURE 21.

As shown more particularly in FIGURE 20, the plunger rod 63 is preferably provided with a means for guiding the same at lower portions of its axial movements in order to preserve accurate alinement of the open mouths 80 of the fork 62 with the shaft 61 carried by the rear lower portion of the travelling platform 23. For this purpose a ring 100 may be set-screwed or otherwise aflixed to plunger rod 63 at an appropriate position thereon, which ring carries oppositely projecting pins 101 fitted slidably in guides 102 which are afiixed to opposed side walls 103 and 104 of the foundation.

As shown in FIGURES 16, 17 and 18, the upper ends of the guides are open and have tapered mouths to properly direct the pins 101 into the guides which orient the hydraulic rams about their pivotal axes 65 into alinement with the rear shafts 61. The rings or collars carrying the pins 101 may also be employed for carrying the guides 92 thus permitting the guides to be adjustable axially along the plunger rods 63 in relation to the stop lug 96 of the actuating bar 91.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 21 which shows an automatic system, both electrical and hydraulic, for operating the various mechanisms in a timed se quence, the system cannot be put into operation until the travelling platform 23 arrives at its final position at the discharge locus which is determined by the arrival of the fork 38 about the fixed pivot shaft 39.

In this position the fork will have tripped the wand 105 of a micro switch 106 in a circuit 107, 108 which includes a solenoid 109 for actuating a hydraulic valve 110 to cause the circulation of hydraulic fluid through the line 111 to the lower end of the cylinder 57, thus lowering the locking pins 51 to the position of FIGURE 14. In this lowered position the pins encounter the wand 112 of a second micro switch 113 in a circuit 114, 116 through a solenoid which opens a hydraulic valve 117 for admitting hydraulic fluid through the line 118 to the lower portion of the lift cylinder 64, thus driving upwardly the plunger 63 for first encountering the rear shaft 61 and eventually raising the platform and included barge to the dump position of FIGURE 13, such action being taken about the pivotal center of the shaft 39 which during all of this movement is held captive by the locking pins 51.

When the platform 23 is tilted to the dumped dotted line position shown in FIGURE 13, the platform will encounter a wand 119 of a limit switch 120, which switch is in circuit 121, 122 to a solenoid 123, and thence through line 124 to the other side of the electrical line. Upon closing switch current will be passed through line 122 in which there is a timer 125 in series with the line to permit of a time delay for dumping the contents of the barge 22. If the barge is only partially loaded and the full-time cycle is not necessary the system operator may by-pass the timer 125 by closing manual switch 126 which will supply current to solenoid 123 causing the valve 117 to shift and permit reverse flow of hydraulic fluid to bleed off the cylinder 64 permitting the ram 63 to descend.

The actuator bar 91 carried by and movable with the ram plunger rod 63 is provided at its lower end with a switch actuating member 127 positioned to engage a Wand 128 of a limit switch 129 on cylinder 64. As best seen in FIGURE 21, the limit switch 129 is in circuit with a power source through lead 130, 131 to a solenoid 132 and thence through line 133 to the other side of the electrical line. Upon closing the switch 129, the solenoid 132 of four-way valve 110 will be energized causing the valve position of the pin set valve 110 to reverse thereby causing a reverse direction of hydraulic fluid pressure in the locking pin cylinder 57 to retract the pin 51 from restraining the platform fork 38 from moving away from the shaft 39. When the locking pin 51 has been removed the platform may then be sent down the way.

In operation, the travelling platform 23 may be lowered to a submerged position to pick up a loaded barge 22, as indicated in FIGURE 2, whereupon the winches will be actuated in conventional manner to wind the cables and draw the platform and barge up the inclined roadway to the discharge locus, shown in FIGURE 3, at which time the locking pins 51 will be put in place manually or by the hydraulic-electric circuit control and thereupon hydraulic fluid will be turned into the lower portion of the lift cylinder below the piston either manually or automatically and the plunger 63 will thereupon be driven upwardly to first engage its -fork 62 with the rear platform shaft 61 and, all in the same movement, after the forks 62 have been fitted to the shafts 61 the locking pins 83 will be automatically closed upon the shaft 61, as indicated in FIGURE 17, this action being automatic by reason of the fact that the upward motion of the actuating bar 91 is arrested by engagement of its shoulder 95 with the stop lug 96, following which the continued upward motion of the piston rod 63 will cause the bellcrank lever 86, 89 to pivot about its fulcrum 87 from the position of FIGURE 16 to that of FIGURE 17.

Upon the completion of dumping the hydraulic fluid will be evacuated by hand or automatic operation and if necessary hydraulic fluid will be introduced into the up per portion of the cylinder 64 above its piston or plunger, thus permitting or driving the plunger downwardly to gradually lower the platform 23 and its now empty barge 22.

As the plunger 63 approaches its lower position, the inclined surface 98 of the actuator bar 91 will encounter the upper edge of the stop lug 96 by which the actuator bar 91 will be pivoted upwardly until the shoulder 95 passes the stop lug 96 whereupon the actuator bar 91 will drop by gravity against the stop lug 96. As the plunger 63 continues downwardly the lower free end of the actuator bar 91 will contact the stop abutment 97, be arrested in motion and, due to further lowering of the plunger rod 63, the bell crank 86, 89 will be rotated to the position of FIGURE 16, thus withdrawing the locking pin 83 and freeing the fork 62 to be moved further down clearing the shaft 61 so that the travelling platform 23 may be lowered with the empty barge down to a position beneath the surface of the water to permit flotation of the barge when its lashings are removed. The travelling platform is then in position to receive another loaded barge and the sequence of operations is repeated.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An unloader for barges and the like comprising (a) a mobile platform adapted to receive and transport a barge from a barge receiving locus to a barge discharge locus,

(b) separable cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for establishing a pivotal axis about which the platform may be angularly moved to discharge the contents of the barge, and

-(c) second separable cooperative means displaced from the first-named cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for moving the platform and included barge about the pivotal axis to the discharge position, said second-named means compris- (d) a shaft on a rear portion of the platform,

(e) hydraulic ram means fulcru-med at the discharge locus including at least one (f) plunger rod having (g) a fork for detachably engaging said shaft when the first cooperative means have established said pivotal axis for angularly moving the platform and entrained barge about said axis to the dumping position.

2. An unloader as claimed in claim 1, further comprising (h) means for securing the fork in place about the shaft.

3. An unloader for barges and the like comprising (a) a mobile platform adapted to receive and transport a barge from a barge receiving locus to a barge discharge locus,

(b) separable cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for establishing a pivotal axis about which the platform may be angularly moved to discharge the contents of the barge, and

(c) second separable cooperative means displaced from the first-named cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for moving the platform and included barge about the pivotal axis to the discharge position, said second cooperative means comprising (d) a shaft on a rear low portion of the platform,

(e) at least one hydraulic ram cylinder pivoted at the barge discharge locus,

(f) a plunger rod movably mounted in the cylinder,

(g) a fork on the rod adapted to engage the shaft,

(11) a locking member movable across the mouth of the fork,

(i) a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on the rod having one arm pivoted to the locking member,

(j) an actuator bar pivoted at a forward end portion to the other arm of the lever,

(k) a guide on the rod through which the bar is adapted to slide and angularly swing about the lever, and

(l) releasable latching means between the bar and rod for holding the bar immovable to the rod and the locking member in closed locking position during dumping and return movements of the rod.

4. An unloader as claimed in claim 3, further comprising (m) a stop abutment on the cylinder located to be abutted by the free end of the bar for arresting movement of the bar to shift the bell-crank and move the member to open position,

(n) a releasable stop lug on the cylinder spaced forwardly from the abutment,

(o) a shoulder on the bar spaced forwardly from the rear end thereof positioned to encounter the stop lug and at least momentarily arrest forward movement of the bar with the rod to shift the member to closed position, and

(p) said bar having an inclined end portion between the free end and the shoulder to slide on the lug and guide the shoulder over the lug in the rearward movement of the plunger rod and effect the releasing of the latching means.

5. An unloader for barges and the like comprising (a) a mobile platform adapted to receive and transport a barge from a barge receiving locus to a barge discharge locus,

(b) separable cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for establishing a pivotal axis about which the platform may be angularly moved to discharge the contents of the barge, and

(c) second separable cooperative means displaced from the first-named cooperative means on the platform and at the discharge locus for moving the platform and included barge about the pivotal axis to the discharge position,

(d) locking means for said first-named separable cooperating means,

(e) hydraulic ram means for moving said locking means into and out of locking engagement,

(f) solenoid hydraulic valve actuating means for controlling the fiow of hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic ram means for controlling the closing and opening of the locking means,

(g) a normally open electric circuit including said solenoid means,

(h) switch means in said circuit positioned to automatically close when the first-mentioned separable cooperative means is engaged in pivotal axis relation,

(i) a second hydraulic ram means for driving the second separable cooperating means into actuating relation,

(j) hydraulic solenoid valve means for controlling the flow of hydraulic flow to said second hydraulic ram means for moving the platform and barge around 720,557 2/1903 Browning 214--71'5 X said pivotal axis to the discharge position, and 1 732 391 1 1929 Wen/(Worth 214 715 X (k) a normally open circuit connected to said second 2 047051 7/1936 Armington et a1 hydraulic solenoid valve having a switch engageable by said first locking means to insure that said first 5 3096894 7/1963 Proler et 214*515 locking means is in position before hydraulic fluid FOREIGN PATENTS is admitted to said second hydraulic ram which 1300883 7/1962 France elevates the travelling platform to dump position.

References Cited 10 GERALD M. FORLENZA,.Przmary Exuaminer. UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner.

507,766 10/1893 Thornbaugh. US. Cl. X.R.

710,194 9/1902 Hughes 214--12 214-46.24 

